Barbara Cartland Biography and List of Works

British author of more than 550 books, mostly of romantic love set in the 19th century. Cartland rose to her status as a prodigious writer of escapist novels during the 1960s and maintained her writing pace through decades. Cartland's work portrays the word of upper-class English men and women, who live with the manners and ideals in an aristocratic culture. In her autobiographies Cartland has described her life and the intriguing people in it, and her interest in natural health.

Barbara Cartland was born in Edgbaston, West Midlands. She attended Malvern Girls' College and Abbey House, Netley Abbey, Hampshire. Her grandfather committed suicide when he went bankrupt and father was killed in Flanders in 1918. Cartland's mother moved the family to London and opened her own business, a dress shop in Kensington.

"To make a man happy a woman has to be loving, compassionate and very sympathetic. But she also has to stimulate his mind and keep him alert and interested. Most of all she has to inspire him to do the best of which he is capable and to try to reach the stars."
(from Paradise Found, 1986)

Cartland became one of the 'bright young things' of the post-war period, starting her first novel at the age of 20. She worked as a journalist for the Daily Express, writing gossip columns. Cartland's success started from her first novel JIGSAW in 1925. In the 1920s she wrote the play BLOOD MONEY and two other novels. Her output of book grew steadily, averaging over 20 in the mid-1970s.

During World War II Cartland was Chief Lady Welfare Officer for Bedfordshire (1941-45). Her brother, Ronald Cartland, was the first Member of Parliament to be killed in the war. She has been political speaker for the Conservatives, county councillor for Hertfordshire (nine years), chairman of the St. John Council, deputy president of St. John Ambulance Brigade, and president of Hertfordshire branch of Royal College of Midwives. She founded in the 1960s the National Association of Health and was its president. Cartland has also fought for better conditions and salaries for Midwives and Nurses. She has championed the cause for old people, had the law altered regarding gypsies and founded the first Romany Gipsy camp in the world.

Cartland married f in 1927 Alexander George McCorquodale (d. 1964), and became step-mother of the mother of Raine, Countess Spencer, step-mother of the late Princess of Wales, Diana Spencer. After divorce Cartland married Hugh McCorquodale in 1936 (d. 1963), a cousin of her first husband. In 1991 Cartland was made Dame of the Order of the British Empire. Among her several awards are Dame of Grace, St. John of Jerusalem, Certificate of Merit, Eastern Command (1946), National Home Furnishings Associations Woman of the Year Award (1981), Bishop Wright Air Industry award (1984), Gold Medal of the City of Paris for Achievement (1988).

Cartland's books had sold over 600 million copies by 1993. Her novels are always very moral - heroines are virgins. Cartland claims to write a book in seven days. Her nonfiction works includes autobiographies, books on health, food, vitamins, and beauty. Sometimes Cartland has used factual characters in her novels, as in LOVE ON THE WIND (1983). It was based on her visit in Hydrebad in February 1982. In the story Sita is forced to accompany her uncle on his voyage to Calcutta. She attempts to throw herself overboard, but is prevented by a mysterious stranger, who also rescues her from kidnappers in Hydrebad, but again disappears. In the background of the story is the introduction of the Ilbert Bill by the Viceroy, Lord Ripon. It leads to a plan by the Assam tea planter to kidnap the Viceroy. LOVE AT THE HELM was completed with the help and inspiration of the Late Admiral of the Fleet, the Earl Mountbatten of Burma. The book was sold for the Mountbatten Memorial Trust.

In I SEEK THE MIRACULOUS (1977) Cartland revealed her spiritual experiences, concluding that those who "give out love become one with the whole living, breathing force of the universe and God." The theme of personal growth is seen often in Cartland's novels, in which the protagonists must experience conflicts before gaining insight of themselves and the world. Cartland has also written film scripts. She was listed in the Guinness Book of Records for writing 26 books in 1983. Cartland was also famous for her love of pink chiffon clothing. She lived on her luxurious estate 15 miles north of London. She died on May 21, 2000, after a short illness. Cartland published 723 books which have been translated into 36 languages.

"He kissed her until she was no longer herself but his, and it was so wonderful that it was impossible to think of anything except that she loved him and he filled her whole world, and she was no longer afraid."
(from Love on the Wind, 1983)

For further reading: Barbara Cartland, Crusader in Pink by Henri Cloud (1979); I Reach for the Stars: An Autobiography by Barbara Cartland (1995); Contemporary Popular Writers, ed. by David Mote (1997) - See also other bestseller writers Harold Robbins, Irwing Wallace, Louis L'Amour.

JIGSAW, (1925)